Hartland — New Brunswickers from far and wide breathed a sigh of relief Wednesday as news broke that the strike between Covered Bridge Potato Chips and their unionized employees had come to an end. The workers voted 71 percent in favour of a deal that gives them higher wages and better allowances for boots and clothing.

A representative of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1288P said that he’s glad the employees can get back to doing what they love — making chips — and that Maritimers can get back to admitting they eat those chips.

“It was a long work stoppage and what felt like an even longer pretend-boycott,” said the rep, digging into some Storm Chips. “I know the citizens of Hartland and the rest of New Brunswick are pleased they can eat Covered Bridge in public again without feeling like they’re bad people.”

Deborah Jardine of Moncton, a chip fanatic, said she was thrilled to hear the strike was over.

“I swear, as soon as that strike started and everyone was saying we had to boycott chips to support the workers’ rights, I went right to Sobeys and bought them clean out before any nosy friends or neighbours could spot me,” she explained. “Thank god I had enough to last me the rest of the winter and spring.”

“It was quite the ruse to keep up for these past, what… 5 months? A year?” said Fredericton man Rob McDougall. “I lost track ages ago, but it was too long, that’s for sure. Now I can stop dumping Covered Bridge chips into a Lay’s bag before the guys come over to watch football.”

Saint John chip-lover Brad Price said when his friends saw him eating Covered Bridge last month, they did not take kindly to the betrayal. “They were all like ‘How can you eat that? Don’t you know they’re made with the tears of ill-treated workers?’ And I was just like ‘Well those tears are some salty and delicious.’

“Thank heaven it’s all over,” he said, plunging his hand into a fresh bag of Dill Pickle. “Want some?”